Israel launches anti-terror operation in Jenin, West Bank

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has announced the beginning of an anti-terrorist operation in Jenin, West Bank.

The operation was tentatively named “Iron Wall”. The operation involves the IDF, MAGAV (Israel Border Police) and Shabak (Israel Security Agency), Caliber.Az reports, citing the IDF press statement.

“The IDF and the Israel Border Police have launched a counter-terrorism operation in Jenin,” the statement said.

The scale and terms of the operation are not specified.

Following negotiations that began in the spring of last year, Israel and the Palestinian group Hamas signed a ceasefire agreement and a hostage exchange deal on January 16. The agreement came into effect on January 19. On the same day, Hamas militants released the first three Israeli hostages—Romi Gonen, Emily Damari, and Doron Steinbrecher—after 471 days in captivity, while Israel freed 90 Palestinian prisoners.

The next batch of Israeli hostages is scheduled for release on January 25. The hostage swap operation will continue weekly for the following four weeks.

Additionally, IDF forces began withdrawing from the city of Rafah in the southern part of the strip.

By Khagan Isayev